Beet digging and topping machine



2, 1937. slsHc 2,072,186

BEET DIGGING AND TOPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1936 l5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1NVENTOR. faz/Ms' JAS/fc i BY g y gx I ATTORNEY.

March 2, 1937. J. SISHC BEET DIGGING AND, ToPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb 4 1936 1 N VE NTOR. ./M//ff 6km/c ATTORNEY.

March 2, 1937. J. slsHc BEET DIGGING AND TOPPING MACHINE 5 Sheds-Sheet 3 Filed Feb.- 4, 1936 WAX ATTORNEY,

March 2, 1937. J. slsHc BEET DIGGING AND TOPPING MACHINE 5 sheetssneet 4 Filed Feb. 4, 1955/6 I u'roRNEY.

` Patented Mar. 11937 UNITED STA-rss ...PATENT oFFlc 2,012,186 .naar nrcc'mc ANnrorPrNG Macnmn Julius sislieffreningten, Applieetien February 4,1936, serial No. '62,261

sciame. (ci. sans) This invention relates to a.\ sugar `beet digging andtopping machine and has `for its. principal object the provision of a portable machine tobef d raw'n along thebeet rows to siml'iltaneously re- 5 move the tops from a plurality oi.' rows; dig the topped beets; deliver the topped beets to any desired location; and `deliver the removed topato any other desired location. Another object of the invention is toprovide a lI tractor drawn beet diggingand depth',position et. are accomplished by power driven apparatus controlled by the'driver of ,the tractor.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a beet topping device which will automatically pro- 15 portion the "thickness or `dep'th-of-.the removed top in .accordance with the sizeof the beet.

Dthe objects reside inthe elcient mechanisms provided for lifting and elevating the beets; 'hant-,dling the. tops from'the beets; eliminating pa'ck- 20 ing of trash, etc.; and the. means emplbyed for .transmittingand' ontrolling powerfrom a v tractor to loperate the various mechanisms of the digging and ,topping machine.'

Other objects and advantages reside. in the de-y '25 tail construction vof.the'invention,"which is designed forsimplicity, economy, and emciency'. These will 'become vmore'ajg'aparent from the fo1` lowing description. l

In the following detailed description ofthe in' -30- ventin reference, is..had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. `Like numerals refer to like parts 4in all viewspf the drawings and throughout the description.

L In the drawings:- Fig.' 1 is a right sideelevati'on ofthe improved digger. and topper'.

Fig. 2 is egier eide eievauenthe'reof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the imf proved digger and topper.

4u Fig. 4 isan enlarged' detail viewerl the topping mechanism, illustrating the action ofthe alltomatic`top regulating mechanism; f' Fig. 5- 'is an enlarged detail plan view of vone f the topping discs, takenon the line' 5 5, 4 5 Figle. I

Fig Gfjisa fragmentary 'plan view ozone' oi! the topping mechanisms; Fig. "'l is asid e elevation, partly in section, Villustrating the eenveyer ineehannm which 1s `501f.st ispcnied from ther-rear of the improveddigger andtapncr for pilingwmeadlng ene tops and beets.: b v l I f IQig is ga detail cross section? through onefog, *fthe onveycrata'ker;4 on 'theline H, Fig, '1., v

" 56 Fig. 9 is a slmilacross section takenon the Flg.' 10gis a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation oi' the ciutoh engaging and releasing ,mechanismkv' `6P The invention coirllilss abilita-ble frame I0 .frame I0 is adjustabler so that lthe entire rearwardextremity ofythe machine may be raised or "laterally across the machine.

.supported at its rearward extremitykupo'n endless -track treads II and at its forward extremityby means of a' draw bar I3 which may be connected directly to thel draw bar hitch Il of any suitable tractor. Hinge pins `I2 provide exible connec- 5 Ations which allow, the track treads to rockv when passing over uneven ground. There are two of the track treads II provided. one ateach side of the rearof theeframe I0; and a single one of the v draw b'ars I3 provided at the .middle of the rorward extremity .of Athe framel Ill. This provides a three point -suspension vfor the entire machine.

'I'he mounting between the treads II and the 15 lowered by power from the tractor. That is 'acI- complished by extending pivoted hinge bars ,IB downward Vand rearward at each side of the frame I0 to 'carry the weight of the frame to the hinge pins I2. 'Ihe rearward extremities of the bars i5 are connected'by igneans of supporting links I8 to the rearward A`extremities of depth adjusting levers II at each side of the machine; Ihe levers I1 are pivoted.- intermediate their extremities as shown -at I8.

'It can be readily seen that, as'the` levers Il are swung, they will act to' lift or lower the rearr"v ward extremity of the machine. This lifting and lowering is accomplishedby means of power driv-l encranks I9, provided at-their extremities with a contactrollers 2l! whichgengagethe levers I 'I to actuate the' latter. The cranks I9 are` mounted on the extremities of a crank shaftextending The crank lshaft Y is rotatedfrom a chain sprocket 2I. driven by means 'of a: suitable chain fromj a drive shaft 22 through a, suitable transmission mechanism. 23. The rotation of drive shaft 22 is controlled 'through the medium 'of a suitable clutch 24, the operation of whichfis controlled by means of a' clutch lever II 5. Aftoggle-arm forined of two hinged-wgether parts, `I I4 and I Il' (seeFig. 10) extend `rearwardly from the clutchjlever II5 to paw1'28 adjacent th sprocket wheel 2|. The latter is provided with al iirst stop bossv 2"I and a 45 l driver of the tractor.

sneuid itbe desired se lower the rearward ear-. tremityofthe machine lfrom the elevated positionoi Fig. 1,'the operatorfpulls upon the'rod 60' `Shown) 25. 'This causes the lever 28 to break the toggle arm II 4I I4' tothe full line position of Fig. 10. This releases the clutch lever I I5 and allows the clutch 24 to engage. The sprocket wheel 2| now starts to rotate to the leftcausing the cranks I9 to lower the levers I1, thereby lowering the entire machine.

As soon as the ilrst stop boss 21 moves away from the pawl 28 it will release the latter and allow the toggle arm II4 to straighten to the broken line position of Fig."10.

When the, machine has reached its bottom or operating position, the second stop' boss 29 will' strike the pawl 28 and through the toggle arm Il4 will push the clutch lever to the release position. The same operation will'be repeated when it is desired to again lift thefmachine to the elevated or out of service position. Through this means, the driver on the tractor can raise and lower the entire machine without effort by simply pulling thebar '25'.

A power shaft 38 extends longitudinally over the midportion of the front of theframe I0. The forward extremity of thepower Yshaft isy connected by means of a universal shaft section 3l to the usual power shaft stub of vthe tractor (not Thus power will be continuously supplied to the various, power driven elements from this shaft, and it is this shaft which furnishes power to the gag'ed.

The device may be employed to simultaneously dig any desired number of rows.

' such a construction, two pairs of digging blades 32 are suspended below the `frame I 0 upon four plow beams 33, By raising or lowering the machine as before described, these plows may be lowered into or lifted fromA the ground, as desired.

Immediately behind and above yeach pair of plows, isa beet lifting chain 34 extending rearwardly and upwardly tov lift and convey the dug b eets. To hold the beets upon the chain 34, a beet clamping chain 35 is provided immediately above each of the chains 34. In a two rowmachine, there will be two of the chains 34 and two of the chains 35. The chain 35 is preferably formed with ights 36 upon it which engage and4 hold the beets during their upward movement.

' a sprocket shaft 4I, which is'driven from thelateral shaft 39 by means ofA a chain 42 on the right side of the machine. A

It can be `readily seen that, as the beets are dug and lifted from the ground by the plows 32, they will be grasped between the chains 35 and 34 f and carried upwardly until deposited over the up` per reach of the chain 34 upon a conveyer 43, to

be later described. The upper chain is provided with tension springs 44 which allow'it sufficient flexibility to accommodate beets of varying-sizes.

The topping is accomplished while the beets are still inthe ground and before they reach the plows. The topping mechanism for each row shaft 22 when the clutch 24 is en:

consists of a rotary disc knife 45, there being. one

knife disc mounted ahead of each pair of plows.

The knives 45 are carried on the lower extremitiesv of knife shafts which extend downwardly through shaft sleeves 48 suspended fromtransmission boxes 41 containing suitable bevel gears chain shaft 53. At its lower extremity the chain 52 is trained around a sprocket 54 carried on the lower extremity of a chain frame 55, which in turn is pivoted upon the shaft 53. A link 56 connects the chain frame 55 with the sleeve 46 l' anda second link 51 extends upwardly from the chain frame 55 to one extremity of a bell crank The other extremity of the bell crank lever 58 is pivotally connected by means' of tie rod 58 with a fixed bracket 8| connected through to the-main frame Ill of the machine.

The action of the knife regulating mechanism is as follows: Let us assume that the beet chain' 52 approaches a large beet protruding above the ground. The chain is formed with stepsor flight members 62 which engage the side of the beet and climb upon it. This forces the sprocket 54backwardly and upwardly, swinging the chain vframe 55 rearwardly about its pivot on the shaft 53. This rearward movement of the chain lframe does two things, first it swings the knife 45 rearwardly about the shaft 48 as a pivot; second, it, through 'the medium of the link 51, pushes upward on the bell crank lever 58 and causes it to act about the hinge pin 59 vas a fulcrum to lift the entire floating frame 58, thereby lifting the knife r`45 upward.

The knife will not move upward as great a distance as the sprocket 54 moves upward ow ing to the lever action at 58 and 55. Therefore, for large beets, the Yspace between the bottom of the chain' 52, indicated at A, Fig. 4, and the cutting edge'of the knife, indicated` at B, will be proportionately greater than the same space Yfor small beets. This causes the knife to cut a thicker top from large beets than it does from 4small beets, thereby automatically removing the ,proper proportional amount of top.

The rearward movement of theVknife by the link 58 Iwhen vlarge beets are encountered provides a proportionally greater space between the sprocket v54 and the knife edge (indicated at C, Fig. 4) on large beets to allow ample room between the-1 high point of the beet and the entering edge ofV the knife. This is a necessary arrangement otherwise the sprocket 54 would move entirely oli? asmall beet and before the knife engaged it, or the sprocket would not have reached the top of `a large beet' before the knife engaged it. But, by making this distanceautomatically variable, the cutting action begins only when the sprocket 54 reaches the highest point on the beet regardless of the variation in size of the' beets. The proper topping for all beets can beset in advance by means of lock nuts 83 at' the bracket 6I. The maximum lowering of the knife can be set by means of a nut 84 on a knife supporting bar 55.

`lever 58 hinged at 59 on the floating frame 58.

gage in the chain 42,

' hanger rods 00 aovarso Poweris slpplied to each of the` lateral knife i, shafts 43 in the floatingl frames 60 by means of power. chains 66- extending from the shaft 53. Thel shaft 53--e1lrtends entirely across the frame I and is driven trouva @er 'box .61, throughmiddiefof t11 e machine. The chains 'I0 are by means of". a chain 62 trained from` drive sprockets y 12 around idler.

sprockets 'I3. Theidler sprockets are supported from`brackets "|4 secured on the shaft sleeves 46. The two chains 'Illrupon the' two knife discs 45 cooperate to sweep the tops lnwardlyand rear- -wardly to a receiving plat e |03 `from which they areswept by a top chain 1'I to an elevaton I0 which carries them upwardly and deposits them .on..a. co'nveyer'l. The topphail 'II is provided Ywith sweeps I6 which gripand holdf the tops on the elevator '15. The top chain 'III extends centrally throughout the' machine from an idler Aroller "I9 ahead of theknives 40. ,The elevator lIBis driven throughthe medium of the chain 42 from the lateral shaft 39. The top. chaine" .is driven throughythe medium of a drive chain 00 from a sprocket 0|, the' teeth of which eri- C' The conveyer 43 andJ the conveyer 'I6 yare pivoted so lthat their rearward extremities maybe. 'I swung to any' desired position. The pivot shaft of t e conveyr'43, whichalsofserves as the drive shaf for the vconveyer, is shown atQZr-f The p ivot and driveshaft 82 is driven from alvertice1 drive shaft s4 through the medium or suitable sprocket chain 85a The vereerd drive shaft t4 is unveil-freni a `ruiter gear box 86 to whichv power is supplied from a.J short horizontal shaftterminating in a sprocket ||6 which is in mesh withthe drive chain'42. upper `extremity of-theyertical Y i5 shaft 04 serves as the 'pivot and .drive Ishaft for the upper conveyer 'I6.. 'I'he vertical drive shaft 84 passes lbetween the two elevators 34.v The shaft 82- and the upper extremity of the shaft 8 4 are housed ire T-shaped shaft housings 50 '|20 enclosing aset lofnriiterpinions |2| which transmit thJe power to a 'lack shaft |22. One of .the pinions-|2| on the shaft |22' is loose and acts simply as a ybalancing or supporting` pinion. lThe-\jack shaft |22 drives'the conveyerv through the medium of a'shortchain |23. IThe shaft |22 also supports twofl'oose pulleys |24 which support the ,lower reach of the conveyer around the end 4driving sprockets las 'shwn inl Eig. '1.L

The'iconveyers 4,3 and 'I6 arepositlonedbetween sideboards 01, which iorm a frame for supporting ,the conveyer rolls.: The side boards are supported at theirrearward extremities upon travel around a curved bale 90,. fThe swinging of 6 the conveyers tothe desired positions is accommeans of a" chain 93 from the Apower shaft 30.v 7o Powerzis delivered fromthe reversing mechanism `through a'universal shaft Q4 to a threaded shaft 0U' on 'the right side of the machine and'through a runiversal shaft 38 to a threaded 'shaft 0'I on the left side thereof. `By shiftinga shift lever 1s Leitner of the' shafts u -r ueen be rented extending from pulleys lwhich' 3 in either desired direction. l, The se m i in the box lneed not be described in 'detailjsine it is similar to any reversing' clutcht' on.

'lhe rightfthreaded shaft 06 carries a' nut 00" which travels along the threads ofthe shaft de` pending ofcourse upon the direction ofrotatione tted by The movement of thefnut 00 is'translni means of push rod |00 to the upper ccnveyer16.

swing` the conveyer 'Il to the lett and when traveling forwardly wmaswing-'it te' the right. Tnelef ".threadedshaft vS'Ic'ari'ies a similar nut' |0|' which is connectedrby 'means of a push rod |02 'with va bracket |03 on the lower conveyer .43."

The putin moving along the threaded v.shaft 91 acts similarly to the nut 09` to swingrthelower conveyer. tothelft or the right asrdesired A, guide travels between .the beet rows to'guide theknives y therealong. *This guide vshoe may move upward-i ly upon striking rockso'r other objects' and is con--A ,stantly forced downwardly by' means of a tension spring |05. 'I'he top-receiving plate |09'lprglects rearwardly fromthe guide" shoe |04 to receive-y In a,two row p'uller the -twomiddle plow bea'ms' are l.necessarily placed very close together. For this reason, clods', sticks, and trash .may catch and pile between the beams.- 'To prevent this'a short endless'trash chain l2 is mounted between the two clamping chains 35 upon the same shaft that carries the lower sprockets for the latter chain. The trash chain extends rearwardly over an idler between the two middle plow beams 33 -and is provided with a' series of paddlesV or hooks ||.3- which catch and throw` the trashaxid clods from between the beams'. A v -shaped drag ||0 is suspended beneath the ,rear of the machine which may be raised or lowered by means or a suitable jack screw il I. This drag acts lto smooth and level a trough-like area behind the machine upon which th'e beets may be deposited by the conveyer 43.

It is 'preferred temploy the drag' 0 upon each twelfth row -in thefeld and to swing 'the conveyer 43 so as to pile-the beets from twelve rows along the smoothed path thus provided. The tops maybe piled along another similar path.

-It is preferred to` form the lifting levers |I in two' parts, as illustrated. This allows aset screw lll'to be provided for adjusting the .contactof the levers |'I"with the cranks 20 so that lost niotion may be taken up and'so that the machine may-be accurately leveled.v

While a specific 'form of theV improvement has b een described and illustrated. herein. it is del sired tobe understood that the same may be va.'- ried. within the scope of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit of the inven-v tion. Y

Having thus f de SCribed. .the invention, what is claimed and desired securedbyLetters VPatent fing said knife to lift the. beets 'from ground: am inclinedbeet elevtor positioned `,to' the rear.

of ,`caid plow to receiv liftedbeets fromsaicd plow; a clamping chain extending rearwardly over said elevator so as to clamp the beets bel reach of said elevator.

A the type lhaving topping and digging means sus- 2. A beet digging and topping machine comprising: a supporting frame; wheels supporting the rear extremity of said frame; a pair of rotary knives suspended from the forward extremity of said supporting frame for topping the beets while the latter are in the ground; two pairs of digging plows suspended below the rearward extremities of said frame,there being one pair oiydigging plows to the rear of each of said knives; elevators for elevating the beets dug by each pair of plows, an elevator for elevating the tops 'cut from the beets by both of said knives; and means for sweeping the tops from each knife to said latter elevator. y

3. In a beet digging and topping machine of l'the type having topping and digging means suspended from a supporting frame, meansfor raising and lowering the rearward extremity ofsaid frame comprising: rearwardly extending hinged bars pivoted to saidframe; supporting wheels `connected with the rearward extremity of said 4. In a beet digging and topping machine of` .the type having topping and digging means suspended from a supporting frame, means for raising and lowering the rearward extremity of said frame-comprising: rearwardly extending hinged bars pivoted to said frame; supporting wheels connected with the rearward extremity of said hinged bars; -and a power-actuated mechanism for raising and lowering the rearward extremity of said hingedbars, said mechanism comprising: depth adjusting levers pivoted intermediate their extremities at each side of said frame above said hinged bars; a connecting link between the rearward extremity of each lever and the rearward extremity of each hinged bar; a crank shaft extending beneath the forward extremities of said levers; and cranks' on said crank shaft positioned to engage said levers so asl to swing the latter about their pivots.

5. In a beet digging and toppingmachin'e of pended from 'a supporting frame, means for raising and lowering the rearward extremity of s aid frame comprising: rearwardly extending hinged bars pivoted to said frame; supporting wheels connected with the rearward extremity of said hinged bars; and a power-actuated mechanism for raising and lowering the rearward extremity of said hinged bars, said mechanism comprising: depth adjusting levers pivoted intermediate their extremities at each side of said frame above said hinged bars; a connecting link between the rearward extremity of each lever and the rearward extremity of each .hinged bar; a crank shaft extending beneath the forward/extremities of said levers; -and cranks on said crank shaft positioned to engage said levers so' as to swing the latter about their pivots; aclutch for controlling the power supply to said crank shaft; manual means 01' engaging Said clutch and automatic means.

for disengaging said clutch when said levers reach their extreme positions.

6. In a beet digging and topping machine; a first elevator for elevating the dug beets; a second elevator for elevating the cut tops; a first conveyer forreceiving the beets .from said first elevator; a second conveyer for receiving the beets from said second elevator; a horizontally positioned threaded shaft' at each side of said machine; a nut traveling along each threaded shaft; a connection between each of said nuts and one of said conveyers, so that movement of said nuts will act to swing said. conveyers; and means for connecting said -threaded shafts with a source of power supply so that either of said shafts can be rotated in either direction.

7. A combined jdigging and topping machin comprising: a frame; means for supporting the forward extremity of said frame; wheels4 supporting therearward extremity of said frame; means for raising and lowering said frame with reference to said wheels; a pair of endless beet engaging chains hingedly suspended from said frame adjacent its forward extremities; a pair of knife shafts hi'ngedly suspended to the rear of said chains; a rotary knife carried on the lower extremity of each knife shaft; a top elevator extending from a position between said knife shafts rearwardly and upwardly; means for sweeping the tops cut by said knives onto said top elevator; a pair of beet digging plows positioned back of said knives; a beet elevator back of each'pair of digging plows; a beet clamping chain suspended over each beet elevator for clamping and holding the beets thereon; a first conveyer for receiving the tops from sai'd top elevator; a`second conveyer for receiving the beets from said beet eleva.. tor; and mea-ns for swinging said conveyers so as to deliver said beets and said tops at any desired point. i

8. A combined digging and topping machine comprising: a frame; means for supporting the forward extremity of said frame; wheels supporting the rearward extremity of said frame;

means for raising and lowering said frame with reference to said wheels; a pair of endless beet engaging chains hingedly suspended from' saidy frame adacent its forward extremities; a pair of knife shafts hingedly suspended to the rear of said chains; a rotary knife carried von the lower extremity of each knife shaft; a top elevator extending from a position between said knife shafts rearwardly, and upwardly; means for sweeping the tops cut by said knives onto said top elevator; a pair offbeet diggingplows positioned back of each of said knives; a beet elevator positioned back of each pair of digging plows; a beet clamping chain suspended over each beet elevator for clamping and holding the beets thereon; a first conveyer for receiving the vtops from said top elevator; a second conveyer fory receiving the 

